Electronic messaging systems typically impose limitations on the size of the messages their users can receive. For instance, electronic mail or email systems typically have limitations imposed on the size of the files the system can receive. The same is also often true for the receipt of image/video files, text messages, etc. Basically, if the message is too large, it cannot be transmitted. When a sender attempts to send an electronic message that is larger than the size limit set for the recipient, the message is dropped. An error message may be returned to the sender indicating that the message could not be delivered.
Techniques for addressing this situation have been proposed, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2001/0013056 filed by Mori et al., entitled “Information Processor Having Electronic Mail Function and Recording Medium Storing Electronic Mail Processing Program” (hereinafter “Mori”) wherein large email messages are sent by automatically dividing the sent mail into a number of sub-mail sections. The process described in Mori, however, requires that the size limitations of the recipient be known a priori. To do so, an inquiry has to be made about the recipient's policy beforehand which is time consuming and increases network traffic since this task has to be performed for each recipient as size limitations vary.
Accordingly, improved techniques for successfully sending large electronic messages would be desirable.